Final Individual Project:
Your final individual project will consist of two items: portfolio and presentation.
Portfolio: You are about to embark upon a very personal journey – which will require you to look deeply at who you are, your values, and where you’ve been. This personal journey is your foundation. Having a strong sense of conviction of why you are pursuing a career in massage therapy on a personal level is what will allow you to persist – and ultimately be successful.
Throughout the course, you will need to hold on to all of your assignments (after they’ve been turned back to you). These will all go into your portfolio – which you will submit at the end of the course.
Here are some of the questions you’ll be considering in this personal journey – and responses to these questions should be reflected in the contents of your portfolio and in your journal writing:
· Why are you embarking on this path (of becoming a massage therapist)?
· What has been your career path up to now?
· What are your hopes & dreams?
· How will this career help you to fulfill these?
· What is your personality style?
· How will you be able to leverage this as a massage therapist?
· What are your strengths?
· How will you be able to leverage these as a massage therapist?
· What are seminal experiences in your life?
· How do past experiences lead to where you are now?
· What are you most passionate about in life?
· How will you be able to leverage this as a massage therapist?
· How long do you plan to work?
· When do you plan to retire?
· What matters to you most in life?
Your portfolio is a collection of all of your individual assignments (as opposed to group-based assignments). It should include the following items:
· A preface to the entire portfolio – this is essentially a write-up of the contents
· All of your individual assignments, including:
o Write Up of Personal Goals
o Communication Feedback
o Jung Typology Results & Write Up
o Self-Care Goals
o Career Chronology
o Informational Interview – Write Up & Presentation
o Resume
o Cover Letter
o Follow-Up Letter
o Resignation Letter
· A review and reflection on all of your journal entries throughout the course
Presentation: In Module 5, you will be asked to conduct an informational interview with a potential employer. You’ll gather information, analyze what you learned, and report back to the class – in the form of a formal presentation. This will take place at the end of Module 5.
Final Group Project
Your final group project will consist of two items: business plan and presentation.
Business Plan:
Mid-way through the course, we will shift our focus from an individual journal to a group-based exploration. With your group, you will “build” a massage therapy business from the ground up. All of this thinking needs to be captured in the business plan that you and your teammates will create.
Here are the components of the business plan, (as outlined by the Small Business Administration):
Executive Summary
This section should provide a snapshot of your company, explaining who you are, what you do and why. After reviewing this section the reader should not only come away with a basic understanding of your company, but more importantly, should be inspired to want to learn more about your business.
Business Description and Vision
This section should include the following:
· Mission statement (purpose of your business);
· Vision statement (what the growth of your business will look like);
· Business goals and objectives;
· History of the business;
· List of key company principals (your group members).
After reviewing this section the reader should know what your business stands for, your estimated growth and potential, specific goals and objectives, and background about the company (and individual members).
Definition of the Market
This section should include the following:
· Description of your industry;
· Definition of market needs (on a general level);
· Identification of your target market, including a profile of your targeted clients.
After reviewing this section the reader should know basic information about the massage therapy industry and the market needs your business will fulfill. In addition, the reader should know your target market and targeted clients.
Description of Products and Services
This section should include the following:
· Specific description of your products and services;
· Explanation as to how and why these stand out from your competitors;
· Reference to preliminary marketing materials – attached in the appendix.
After reviewing this section the reader should know why you are in business, what you are selling and for how much, and why your products and services are competitive.
Organization and Management
This section should include the following:
· Description of how your company is organized;
· Description of the legal structure of the business;
· Identification and overview of required licenses and permits;
· Brief bios of all key players in the company (everyone in your group).
After reviewing this section the reader should know how the company is organized, its legal structure, the roles that everyone plays in the company and an understanding of the flow of operations.
Marketing and Sales Strategy
This section should include the following:
· More specific description of your market (estimated supply and estimated supply for your products & services);
· Explanation of your marketing goals, strategies, objectives, and tactics.
After reviewing this section the reader should know who your market is and how you will reach it; along with how your company will apply marketing tools, such as advertising, PR, promotions, and networking to sell your products and services competitively.
Financial Management
This section should include the following:
· Estimate of start-up costs, including one-time, annual and monthly expenses;
· Projected revenue (one year forward)
After reviewing this section the reader should know your company’s financial projections.
Appendix
This section should include all of your group’s notes and brainstorming ideas. Each item must be dated. This section also includes all of your preliminary marketing materials (such as, initial ideas about your brand, as well as initial ideas about your advertising campaign).
Source: Small Business Administration website: http://web.sba.gov/busplantemplate/BizPlanStart.cfm
Presentation: Your group will provide a 15-minute presentation of your business plan at the end of the course. All group members need to participate actively in this presentation. This presentation needs to bring your business plan to life. Imagining that you are presenting to potential investors, your presentation should be compelling enough that every person in your audience would want to invest in your group’s start-up business.
SYLLABUS
Module / LessonNumber / Lesson
Description / Lesson
Time / Lesson Date / Textbook Reading Due Before Class / Homework Due Before Class /
Module 1: Taking Stock of Your Career Options / 1 / Welcome Aboard / 1 hr
2 / Overview of Profession & Career Trends / 1 hr / Pages 1-10
3 / Career Settings & Professional Credentials / 1 hr / Pages 10-32
4 / Self-Evaluation / 1 hr / Pages 32-38 / Results from Jung Typology Test
5 / Summary & Application / 1 hr / Self-Evaluation Worksheet
Module 2: Creating a Therapeutic Relationship / 1 / The Therapeutic Relationship / 1 hr / Pages 39-41
2 / Ethics & Boundaries / 1 hr / Pages 41-48 / Chronology of Work History; “A Day in the Life of”
3 / Client Communication; Client Records & Referrals / 1 hr / Pages 48-55 / Communications Skills Feedback
4 / Client Self-Care; Massage Session Start to Finish / 1 hr / Pages 55-60
5 / Summary & Application / 1 hr
Module 3: Creating a Sense of Place / 1 / Space from the Clients’ Perspective & Your Perspective / 1 hr / Pages 63-76
2 / The Physical Space / 1 hr / Pages 76-82 / Calculator;
Communications Improvement Plan
3 / Summary & Application / 1 hr / Workspace Checklist; Equipping Your Workspace
1 hr
Module 4: Practicing Self-Care / 1 / Effects of Stress & Self-Care Techniques / 1 hr / Pages 83-90
2 / Personal Self-Care Management Strategy / 1 hr / Pages 90-93 / Report on Self-Care Activity
3 / Summary & Application / 1 hr / Developing a Personal Self-Care Plan
Module 5: Launching a Successful Practice / 1 / Seeking Employment / 1 hr / Pages 95-106 / Personal Self-Care Plan
2 / Resume, Cover Letter & Interviewing / 1 hr
3 / Individual Career Planning / 1 hr / Resume & Cover Letter – 1st Drafts
4 / Self-Employment / 1 hr / Pages 106-112 / Individual Career and Practice Planning
5 / Business Plan / 1 hr / Pages 112-127 / Business Plan Brainstorming Notes
6 / Laws, Regulations & Insurance Requirements / 1 hr / Pages 127-135
7 / Market Need, Services & Products, Pricing / 1 hr / Pages 135-141 / Research Regulations
8 / Business Policies & Procedures; Professional Assistance / 1 hr / Pages 141-154 / Business Plan Brainstorming Notes
9 / Financial Planning / 1 hr / Pages 155-163 / Business Plan Brainstorming Notes
10 / Summary & Application / 1 hr / Researching Costs Notes
11 / Final Individual Presentations / 1 hr / Potential Employer Profile; Presentation
Module 6: Managing Your Practice / 1 / Financial Management / 1 hr / Pages 165-181
2 / Taxes / 1 hr / Pages 181-186
3 / Client Records Management & Insurance Billing / 1 hr / Pages 187-210 / Year 1 Budget
4 / Time & Schedule Management / 1 hr / Pages 210-214
5 / HR Management; Being an Employee / 1 hr / Pages 214-222 / Radical Time Management
6 / Summary & Application / 1 hr / Automated Software System
1 hr
Module 7: Spreading the Word / 1 / Marketing / 1 hr / Pages 223-233 / Magazines
2 / Advertising & Promoting / 1 hr / Pages 234-245
3 / Business Stages / 1 hr / Pages 245-256. / Elevator Pitch
4 / Summary & Application / 1 hr
Module 8: Connecting with the Professional Community / 1 / Being a Professional & Allied Professions / 1 hr / Pages 257-265
2 / Research / 1 hr / Pages 266-273 / Marketing Plan
3 / Professional Supervision & PD Business Plan / 1 hr / Pages 273-277
4 / Summary & Application / 1 hr / Professional Development Plan
5 / Final Group Presentations / 1 hr / Group Presentations & Portfolios
Total / 43 / 43 hrs
QUOTE SLIPS
“To succeed in business you must first succeed in your own life. The successful massage business owners I know present a cheerful countenance and infectious enthusiasm, and are grounded in the belief in the value of what they are doing. They have resolved their personal issues to the point that their daily presentation lacks signs of anger and hostility. Their personal lives are stable. They are wholesome, outgoing people lovers. Doing the personal work early creates the situations that lead to a successful business.”- ED DENNING, Stark State College of Technology, Canton, Ohio
“Be patient during the first year of practice. The first year is a good time to focus on technique and skill proficiency, as well as to develop a personal niche. Time spent in a supported environment, such as chiropractic or multi-professional office, allows for development in these areas without the additional pressure of business development, marketing, and advertising. It also allows time to build a client base and the funding necessary for private practice and increased business expenses.”
- ANN MARIE ENGSTROM, Rising Spirit Institute of Natural Health, Atlanta, Georgia
“Anyone who has been in the field of massage therapy and bodywork for more than five years has done a lot of personal growth work. Some types of practices place greater emphasis on the mind/spirit aspects of massage, and some on the physical aspects. When a person has a foot in both camps – when the session is nurturing, kind, and healing, as well as physically excellent – the more value it imparts to the client and the world at large.”
- JUDY DEAN, Agua Dulce Center and Spa, Prescott, Arizona
“If you worked in a spa for even one year, you would triple your experience in hands-on/technical skills and strengthen your ability to relate to new clients, relative to any other work experience. Spas offer very eclectic experiences which relate to health and wellness.”
- DI TRIESTE, Corporate Spa Treatment Director, Canyon Ranch Health Resorts, Tucson, Arizona
“I have found that the fastest way to establish credibility with the medical community is to have them see that you are not just someone seeking referrals, but a fellow healthcare practitioner who can make a difference to his or her patients. They are used to empirical evidence and double-blind studies that prove efficaciousness.”
- BOB HAASE, School Director, Bodymechanics School of Myotherapy & Massage, Olympia, Washington
SELF-EVALUATION WORKSHEET